Jun 28, 2013 6:19 PM

Hi, my Welsh poppies - Meconopsis cambrica, are being stripped to stems and leaf stalks by rapidly growing smooth green caterpillars with a thin paler side-stripe. Once the poppies have been devoured they will move on, but I seldom find them on surrounding Digitalis, Iris, Geranium etc till the poppies have been finished. If they will turn into desirable adults I'll leave them be, but I'd rather pick them off and squash them!There are 2 centrally, top and bottom. Another just below middle on the left. The stalks are all M cambrica. As they get older they fade a bit, to a more yellowish green colour and become 'cloudy' rather than 'bright green'. They vary from thin cotton to large caterpillars inch-and-half long. Hope you can help, thanks.